HIGHWAY chiefs say it will be at least three years before they will be able to higher railings on a Bolton bridge where a man plunged to his death.

Engineers have pledged to take into account lessons learned from the death of Philip Warburton, who died after falling over the railings on to St Peter's Way last May.

But town hall officials say that unless they get more money from the government, they will not be able to carry out the work on Bradford Street Bridge for at least three or four years.

The Coroner's office and Bolton South-east MP Brian Iddon both asked Bolton Council to look at the design of the bridge after Mr Warburton, 29, fell to his death.

Witnesses told how he tried to cling on after accidentally tumbling over the railings. Initially, the engineers said the railings would be highered just 3mm to meet height standards set in the 1970s.

But in a letter to Dr Iddon, the council's Assistant Director of Engineering, Adrian Golland, said: "I can confirm that Bradford Street Bridge is programmed for refurbishment and pedestrian safety measures will be part of the design process of the scheme.

"In addition, I can assure you that during the design process recommendations from the Coroner and others, towards pedestrian safety, will be given serious consideration."

However, he said the work could only be carried out when funding became available and added: "If the Transport Capital Expenditure settlement for structural maintenance bridges in Bolton remains at the current level, it is unlikely that the Bradford Street Refurbishment Scheme will commence in the next three or four years."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.